Questions to ask before hiring a handyman

You're standing in your kitchen looking at a leaking tap, a wonky cabinet door, and a light fitting that won't stay in. A handyman could fix all three. But you don't want someone who ghosts mid-job, who starts discovering "extra problems" once they're in your home, or who leaves you wondering if the work will hold. The questions you ask before hiring separate the reliable operators from the ones who'll drain your time and money.

What specific jobs have you done like mine?

This isn't "Have you ever fixed a tap?" It's "Tell me about the last three kitchens where you repaired leaking taps. What was the actual problem each time? What did you replace?"

Why it matters: A handyman who's done the same repair dozens of times knows what usually causes it, what can go wrong, and whether a quick fix or full replacement makes sense. Someone winging it will give you vague answers or oversell you a solution.

What a good answer sounds like: "Last month I replaced the cartridge in a kitchen tap in Parktown. The homeowner had the same model as you—Kohler—and it was leaking from the handle. Took me 20 minutes. Two weeks before that, I had one in Randburg where the body had cracked, so we replaced the whole unit."

What to worry about: "Yeah, I've fixed loads of taps" with nothing specific, or "I'll have a look and let you know what's wrong"—that's fine for diagnosis, but paired with vagueness about what they've actually repaired before, it's a red flag.

How will you work through the job, and what if something unexpected happens?

You're not asking for a guarantee (homes throw surprises). You're asking how they think through their work and communicate as they go.

Why it matters: A professional handyman walks through the job mentally before starting. They can explain the sequence, what tools they'll need, and roughly how long each step takes. If they hit something unexpected—say, a corroded pipe behind the wall—you want someone who stops, shows you the problem, and explains your options instead of just going ahead and billing you extra without warning.

What a good answer sounds like: "I'll turn off the water first, then undo the tap from underneath using these two wrenches. Once it's out I'll check the cartridge and seals. If those are worn I'll replace them—that's usually the fix. If I see corrosion or the body's damaged, I'll show you and we'll talk about replacing the whole unit before I do any more work. Takes me about an hour normally."

What to worry about: "I'll just fix it" with no detail. Or "I'll start and see what happens." Or worst, when you ask about unexpected problems: "Don't worry, I'll just sort it and you can pay me what it's worth."

Can you show me work you've done and give me a referral I can actually contact?

This is your verification step. You want evidence that's checkable, not a list of names that might be the handyman's mate.

Why it matters: A referral from someone who hired them for something similar to your job is worth far more than a testimonial. You can ask that person the questions that matter to you: Did the handyman start and finish on time? Did the work hold up? Would they hire them again?

What a good answer sounds like: "I've got photos of three similar jobs on my phone. Here's Margaret's number—she hired me six months ago to fix her kitchen and bathroom. And here's Thabo's WhatsApp; he had me do some electrical work last year."

What to worry about: Reluctance to give you a real contact. "I don't like giving out numbers" or "My clients prefer privacy" is fair for sensitive jobs, but for routine maintenance work, it's odd. Photos alone without a live referral are incomplete.